In Which There is a Mistaken Identity
by Nerdygal123
Summary: Howl's had a very long day, and now Sophie is upset about something she thinks Howl's gone and messed up. Will tantrums be thrown? Will their relationship be compromised? Takes place somewhere between Howl's Moving Castle and The House of Many Ways. Told from Howl's point of view.
1. Chapter 1

_**In Which There is a Mistaken Identity**_

_(Author's Note: I don't own these characters or anything and I am not Ms. Jones in any way, shape or form, so please don't compare my writing to her's (I am nowhere near as great a storyteller as she). Just enjoy the story! Okay?)_

I burst into the flowershop after a long day of doing important stuff, arms overflowing with bags, to find Michael looking rather upset in the general direction of the front of the shop. Now, Sophie should have been, uh, manning the shop at this hour. "Where-?"

"Please go sort out Sophie," Michael pleaded. "She's threatening to put out Calcifer."

I dropped my many bags and sauntered to the back of my shop. "Sophie, darling? What's wrong?"

Calcifer burned in the fireplace, visibly irritated. "You should know."

"I should know what exactly?" Sophie was nowhere to be seen. "Where's Sophie?"

He, the ever-helpful fire demon, was caught in a stony silence. He pointed to the cupboard under the stairs where Sophie had formerly slept.

I tapped the small door. "Sophie, darling?"

"Go away you rotten-" The sound of choked sobs flowed through the door. "Jerk!"

"Sophie, you might get bitten by something if you keep hiding down there. Come out and tell me what's wrong." I impatiently tapped my foot on the floor.

"Why would I tell you of anything? You'll just go and betray my trust again!"

"Betray-Why would I do that?"

"I don't know, Howl, why would you?" asked Calcifer.

"No one asked you. Sophie, please come out, darling."

"How dare you call me that!" The door opened a crack and I saw Sophie's wet blue-green eyes looking up at me. Firey anger that I hadn't seen since she had created some terrifying weed-killer shown through them. She stood up and walked out, head high, over to Calcifer's hearth, where she collapsed into a chair and began to let out tortured sobs onto the stones.

"Now, darling-"

She looked daggers at me.

"-Sophie, please tell me what's going on." _And what it has to do with me._

She turned away from me and hid her face in her arms, resting on the hearth. "Hmph."

"Darling-"

"I hope that girl I saw you kissing is enough to take my place!" she yelled sharply, letting out a fresh wave of tears.

"I-what? Sophie, you know when you-"

"I thought you'd changed, Howl! I loved you!"

"Past tense?" I asked weakly.

"And you go and make yet another girl fall for you? Just for fun? Am I not enough for you?"

"I did no such thing!" I stomped my foot, causing some dusty substance to rise from the ground. "You know for a fact that I decided I wasn't going to love any other girl than you and I never break my decisions!"

"Liar!"

"The only people I've spoken to are a couple old shop keepers and Michael and I would not kiss any of them!"

She raised her head a tiny bit.

"How dare you believe that I would be unfaithful!"

"Pfft..." said Calcifer.

"Shut. UP!" I glared at the room, at Sophie, at Calcifer. "It's not FAIR! Why won't you believe ME?"

Sophie raised her head entirely. "Don't you dare, Howl."

I glared at her. "I didn't go kissing any girls today! I haven't even kissed you today and I don't think that's fair at all!"

"Don't. You. DARE!" She stood up very quickly and forcfully. "I will not clean up after you again!"

Michael's head poked in. "Sophie? Howl? Uhm-"

The two of us spun to look at him, death glares in our eyes.

"Sorry, just, I think it's rather, uh, urgent..."

"It can wait!" snapped Sophie.

"We're in the middle of something!" I hissed.

"Sorry, but-"

"Terribly sorry, but am I interrupting something?" a voice similar to my own asked.

A carbon copy of myself stepped past Michael and into the room.

_(dun dun DUUUUUUUUN_

_So let me know what you think. Should I post more? _

_Thanks for reading!)_


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's Note: I apologize for the lack of updates in a while. I have lately been watching all (and I mean __all__ of Neon Genesis Evangelion. It is an excellent series which I enjoyed, and therefore it may influence this or any of my writings. So hopefully you won't think too bad of it when it stops being so funny and starts being more dramatic. Thanks for your cooperation!_

I gaped in amazement at the sight in front of me.

The identity theft grinned. "I am one attractive man."

"Howl? Who is this guy?!" asked Sophie, sounding rather panicked.

"I'm me of course, dearest Sophie! The greatest wizard of all, Howl!" he announced with pride. Sophie backed away from the both of us and towards Calcifer.

I strode up to my counterpart. "Go back to who you truly are!"

He chuckled. "Ah, but I am the great wizard Howl, eater of the hearts of beautiful girls! And what are you but a false interpretation of myself?"

"I was here first, dummy!"

"Were you really?"

"Yes! What could you possibly want with me?"

"It's not you I want. It's dearest Sophie, of course."

Any intentions I previously had to make peace with this lookalike vanished into thin air. "Leave her out of it!" I roared. "She's been through quite enough, thank you!"

Sophie shrunk down, trying to escape quietly. Michael's mouth opened in closed, eyes full of shock. Calcifer viewed the yelling match with what was evidently nonchalance.

OtherHowl smirked and took a step forward. "Ah, but I _need_ her, you see."

"What for?!" I asked suspiciously.

"Where's the fun in telling you that?" he sneered. "Come along, darling Sophie."

"Never! How could I go along with you? Why would I?" she stared at OtherHowl with one eyebrow raised, obviously still angry from the previous quarrel. I could still detect a hint of fear in her voice, though it appeared she was trying to mask it. "I am in no way that foolish!"

"Because if you don't, Calcifer will send this place to its ruin. Won't you, Calcifer?"

Sophie, Michael and I all spun to face Calcifer, jaws loosely hanging open.

"He he he…" he laughed nervously. "Sorry guys." For a bit of fire, he looked pretty guilty. He flared brightly and became reaching for flammable objects near his fireplace. Extraordinary heat was already beginning to toast the room. "I hadn't much of a choice."

"Shut up. Come along, dearest Sophie. Or risk hurting those around you." OtherHowl smiled cruely.

"No, don't! We'll be okay!" cried Michael. "Who knows what he'll do to you, Sophie!" He shielded himself against Calcifer's growing heat with his arms.

"I'm sorry, Michael. I can't see you two get hurt at my expense…" Sophie answered sadly, "I'll come back as soon as possible!"

"That won't be necessary, dearest Sophie." With a flourish of his cape, OtherHowl spun on his heel and headed out of the house, Sophie mechanically following close behind.

"Burn them alive, Calcifer."

Sophie screamed and visibly fought against OtherHowl's magic. Unable to break free, OtherHowl dragged her out of the shop with invisible bindings.

"Calcifer, please! You've known me all your life! You can't do this to me!" I yelled, hiding behind my flimsy cape which wasn't exactly made to fight off fire.

"I'm sorry!" he roared over the burning books and charring food. "I have no choice! I can't stop unless you—I have no power over what I'm doing until you—"

"Shh, little fallen star. Calm your flames. Your contract has been broken."

_Thus ends chapter two. (That escalated quickly. This is what happens when you let me watch all of Evangelion in like three days…) I know this isn't nearly enough material to keep you guys happy since it's been so long since I've updated, but hopefully I shall have more written soon. I will, however, let you know that I'll be very busy in the next couple weeks, so updates may be few and far between but I'll do my best to keep material coming! Please let me know what you think in the review section! :D_


End file.
